Report: Auburn DE Carl Lawson will enter 2016 NFL Draft

Lawson’s father has refuted, via text message, the earlier report that the defensive end will enter the 2016 NFL Draft, according to Auburn Undercover’s Ryan Black.

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Auburn sophomore defensive end Carl Lawson may be playing in his last game for Auburn on Wednesday in the Birmingham Bowl.

Lawson will enter the 2016 NFL Draft, according to Draftinsider’s Tony Pauline.

If this is Lawson’s last game, he will finish his Auburn career with 21 games played in three seasons. After playing in all 14 games as a freshman in 2013, he missed all of 2014 with an ACL injury.

This season, Lawson was limited to just six regular season games after injuring his hip in Auburn’s opening win over Louisville. Auburn’s defense improved in the latter part of the season after Lawson returned on Oct. 31 against Ole Miss.

Lawson’s pass-rushing prowess is highly coveted at the next level and it appears he will test the NFL draft waters this spring. The redshirt sophomore still has two years of eligibility left, but it may be the best move considering his injury history.